Decatur, IL Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Decatur. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Decatur compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Decatur, Illinois

Cost of living in Decatur research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Decatur is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Illinois, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

86 Cost of living index 0.9x lower vs US
#35 Cheapest in Illinois (of 336)
#476 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$104,058 Median home value
$845 Median rent
$51,592 Median income
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What is the cost of living in Decatur, IL?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Decatur has an overall cost of living index of 86, which is 0.9x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Illinois, Decatur has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Illinois's index of 98.

The standard of living in Decatur ranks as #35 most affordable out of the 336 places we measured in Illinois. By definition, that implies Decatur ranks as the #301 most expensive place in the Prairie State.

For more reading on life in Decatur, check out:

Decatur Cost Of Living Vs. Illinois

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Decatur. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Decatur is 96.

  • The Groceries index in Decatur is 99.

  • The Health index in Decatur is 56.

  • The Housing index in Decatur is 99.

  • The Transportation index in Decatur is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Decatur is 95.

Living Expense Decatur Illinois National Average
Overall 86 98 100
Services 96 99 100
Groceries 99 99 100
Health 56 96 100
Housing 99 101 100
Transportation 101 99 100
Utilities 95 101 100

Decatur Cost Of Living Compared To Illinois Averages

Services
Decatur 96
Illinois avg 99
Groceries
Decatur 99
Illinois avg 99
Health
Decatur 56
Illinois avg 96
Housing
Decatur 99
Illinois avg 101
Transportation
Decatur 101
Illinois avg 99
Utilities
Decatur 95
Illinois avg 101

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Illinois, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Decatur, IL Housing Cost Breakdown

$104,058Median Home Value
$845Median Rent
$51,592Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Illinois, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Decatur is $104,058.

  • The Median Rent in Decatur is $845.

  • The Median Income in Decatur is $51,592.

  • The Home Value To Income in Decatur is 2.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Decatur is 0.2x.

Statistic Decatur Illinois United States
Median Home Value $104,058 $285,735 $332,700
Median Rent $845 $1,274 $1,413
Median Income $51,592 $83,390 $80,734
Home Value To Income 2.0x 3.4x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.18x 0.21x

Decatur, IL Costs By Category

Detailed Decatur Services costs vs. Illinois
Item Decatur Illinois
Shampoo $1.22 $1.28
Movie $14.03 $12.13
Bowling $15.58 $18
Haircut $35.5 $24.26
Beauty Salon $44.28 $45.56
Detailed Decatur Groceries costs vs. Illinois
Item Decatur Illinois
Ground Beef $5.86 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.38 $1.57
Milk $4.69 $4.67
Potatoes $5.11 $4.93
Pizza $13.74 $12.09
Beer $10.08 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.85 $3.7
Detailed Decatur Health costs vs. Illinois
Item Decatur Illinois
Optometrist $117.14 $125.68
Doctor $149.89 $135.78
Dentist $110.0 $113.29
Detailed Decatur Transportation costs vs. Illinois
Item Decatur Illinois
Gasoline $4.03 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.1 $59.92
Detailed Decatur Utilities costs vs. Illinois
Item Decatur Illinois
All Electricity $126.6 $193.99
Phone $198.23 $192.25

Decatur SnackAbility

5Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 4/10
Housing 4/10
Affordability 8.5/10
Diversity 8.5/10
Safety 6/10
Amenities 9/10
Education 7/10
Commute 9/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Decatur

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Decatur. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Springfield, IL has a cost of living index of 93, 1.1x Decatur.

  • Champaign, IL has a cost of living index of 97, 1.1x Decatur.

  • Bloomington, IL has a cost of living index of 95, 1.1x Decatur.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Decatur
Springfield, IL 113,330 93 1.1x
Champaign, IL 89,996 97 1.1x
Bloomington, IL 78,907 95 1.1x
Normal, IL 53,569 96 1.1x
Urbana, IL 39,341 96 1.1x
Chatham, IL 14,639 103 1.2x
Mahomet, IL 10,049 107 1.2x
Savoy, IL 8,968 107 1.2x
Monticello, IL 6,304 97 1.1x
Mount Zion, IL 5,660 92 1.1x